Zhang Qian

Pioneering explorer who opened the Silk Road, bridging East and West

Zhang Qian (c. 164–113 BCE), a Chinese diplomat and explorer during the Han Dynasty, revolutionized Eurasian trade and cultural exchange through his perilous journeys into Central Asia. Commissioned by Emperor Wu to forge alliances against the Xiongnu nomads, Zhang Qian's expeditions (Britannica) laid the foundation for the Silk Road, transforming global commerce.

His first mission (138–126 BCE) saw him captured by Xiongnu for a decade, yet he memorized vital geopolitical data. After escaping, he reached the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom and documented previously unknown civilizations. A second journey (119–115 BCE) established direct trade routes for Chinese silk, Central Asian horses, and Mediterranean goods.

Zhang Qian's reports introduced China to alfalfa cultivation and superior horse breeds, critical for military expansion. His discoveries inspired later travelers like Marco Polo, while the Silk Road became a conduit for Buddhism's spread into China. Modern scholars credit him with enabling the first sustained East-West dialogue, predating European Age of Exploration by 1,500 years.